Allora & Calzadilla

Solar Catastrophe

Solar Catastrophe features shards of solar cell panels arranged into rhythmic sequences. Based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the artist duo Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla use mixed media to highlight systemic topics in society such as climate change and sustainable energy. Their use of discarded and forgotten materials emulate the fickle political associations of human-made and natural resources. Electricity and solar power, especially within contexts of the privately-controlled power grids in Puerto Rico, prove to be substances just as complex and malleable as humans.